Florida picked as preseason SEC hoops favorite

A panel of SEC and national media members picked the Gators to unseat Kentucky in balloting released Monday.

The Gators return all five starters from a team that went 21-13 last season and made the NCAA tournament. They received eight first-place votes while Mississippi State received three. Tennessee and Kentucky got two votes apiece, and Georgia one.

Florida was picked to win the East Division ahead of Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

Mississippi State is the West favorite. Ole Miss, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Auburn rounded out the predictions.